Abstract:
Skin coloration categories are identified based upon opponent color undertones of the skin. For example, using a color measuring device (10), Hunter b value is developed from measures of blue, yellow and lightness. That value alone then determines which of several categories of skin coloration a subject's skin exhibits. Category selection is made by comparison of measured Hunter b with ranges of Hunter b values of skin color categories. Instrumentation includes the color measuring device (10), a central processing unit (15), memory (17), and an output device. The skin color Hunter b is calculated and compared to stored ranges to assign a category which is then displayed on the output device. Colors compatible with skin color categories are identified or formulated based upon broad color family designation, yellow, brown, red, etc., and a comparison of measured and stored ranges of known or specifically developed color characteristics for the particular family.
Abstract:
Methods and systems for measuring with a Color Measurement System of predetermined specification and evaluating the color of skin, teeth, hair and material substances with a Color Index. The principles of this invention also relate to techniques for using such a Color Measurement System with the Color Index in medical applications such as the detection of chromogenic disease including bilirubin infant jaundice, cosmetics applications and in the evaluation of the color of hair or teeth, and other applications. The Color Index is measured and calculated from the reflectance spectrum of any skin (or teeth, hair or material substance) by a two step process. The first step is the weighting of the visible spectra with a unique set of weighting factors which calculate a sample's reflectance spectrum's contribution to the appearance of four color components independent of the illuminating condition. The second step places the sample's reflectance spectrum's contribution to the appearance of the four color components in opponency to each other and calculates the Color Index providing attributes representative of correlates of lightness-darkness (L, also referred to as lightness), redness-greenness (M) and yellowness-blueness (N).
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for determining the condition of a test subject based on color uses a color measuring instrument to detect change in a color factor indicative of a condition such as a disease, spoilage, ageing, etc. A medical condition such as hyperbilirubinemia that affects skin color can be detected. One measures color factors such as Hunter b and L in the subjects' skin color. For predetermined ranges of one color factor, in particular L, changes in the other color factor, e.g. Hunter b, above predetermined levels are indicative of the medical condition. In many cases, a single measurement of the color factors can be utilized as a warning of the likelyhood of the medical or contaminated condition, if the ordinary range of the color factor is known for healthy individuals with skin coloration like that of the test subject. Even if there has been no baseline measurement and the test subject's color is such that a single reading of one or two color factors will not warn of the possible presence of the medical condition or contamination, sequential readings can indicate the presence or absence of the condition based upon changes in the measured color factor, or lack of changes. The color measuring techniques apply to a wide range of biological test subjects (e.g. hair, teeth, tissue, excretions, foods, soil, animals, plants).
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for determining accurate hair color classifications and appropriate coloring agents to bring about a selected change of color include a table of hair color classifications, a color measuring instrument to arrive at Hunter L, a and b for use in identifying a particular classification from the table and a database that identifies appropriate coloring agents based on a selection of coloring actions from a menu and the classifications of hair color.